Munich.The launch of the MINI Countryman saw the
British premium brand make the move into a new segment and write a new
chapter in its successful history. And today the 250,000th MINI
Countryman rolled off the assembly line at production and development
partner Magna Steyr in Graz, Austria. This production landmark,
reached just two-and-a-half years after sales began, offers clear
evidence that the MINI brand’s hallmark driving fun and time-honoured
style also hold a persuasive allure in the compact premium segment.
“The strong global demand for the MINI Countryman represents a
compelling endorsement of the rigorous expansion strategy implemented
for the MINI range,” says Harald Krüger, Member of the Board of
Management of BMW AG, MINI, Motorcycles, Rolls-Royce, Aftersales BMW
Group. The roll-out of the 250,000th MINI Countryman follows hot on
the heels of the start of MINI Paceman production. The seventh model
in the brand’s line-up is likewise built in Graz.

The MINI Countryman is the first model in the more than 50-year
history of the brand to sport four doors, a large tailgate, up to five
seats and a variable-use load compartment offering between 350 and
1,170 litres of space. The innovative vehicle concept brings the MINI
feeling onto the radar of new target groups who appreciate both its
extra functionality and a balance of agility and driving comfort that
comes into its own over longer journeys. A driveline innovation is
also central to securing the MINI Countryman’s status as a talented
all-rounder: it is the first MINI to be available as an option with
the ALL4 all-wheel-drive system. The variable distribution of power
between the front and rear axles enables the driver to embark on
scenic tours off the beaten track and opens the door to a new take on
the signature MINI go-kart feeling.

ALL4 can currently be ordered as an option for the MINI Cooper S
Countryman (135 kW/184 hp), MINI Cooper SD Countryman (105 kW/143 hp)
and MINI Cooper D Countryman (82 kW/112 hp). Even further up the
performance scale lies the stand-out sporting ability of the MINI John
Cooper Works Countryman, which comes with all-wheel drive as standard.
This allows it to convert the power from its 160 kW/218 hp race-bred
engine into extreme driving fun with supreme assurance and in any
situation. The engine line-up is rounded off by the front-drive MINI
Cooper Countryman (90 kW/122 hp), MINI One Countryman (72 kW/98 hp)
and MINI One D Countryman (66 kW/90 hp) models. All versions – with
the exception of the MINI One D Countryman – can also be equipped with
a six-speed automatic gearbox as an alternative to the standard
six-speed manual.

The global success of the MINI Countryman is reflected in its
sales figures in all the major car markets: a total of 102,250 units
of the model were sold in 2012 alone. The most in-demand model variant
was the MINI Cooper S Countryman, followed by the MINI Cooper
Countryman. Although the diesel variants are not offered in all
markets, they have also proved extremely popular. Diesel-powered
models accounted for approximately 37 per cent of MINI Countryman
sales in 2012.